Raymond John Marx was born in July 1946 and dedicated his life to the Navy, IT management and invention. He grew up with his mother and brother, and attended Mt. Pleasant High School in Schenectady, New York. At Mt. Pleasant, he conducted military preparatory training through the Naval reserve for seven months before graduating in 1964. After graduation, he spent a short season working as an aviation storekeeper at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina, but served in the Navy as an airman.

Throughout his career, he earned promotions and high security clearances, eventually achieving the rank of chief warrant officer four. One notable experience was working on the USS Vulcan. As a chief warrant officer four, he worked at Area 51. Notably, he helped in the invention and implementation of the 1/10/100 port along with other computer programming languages development.

After retiring from the Navy, Marx worked in IT. He started as a contractor, freelancing computer IT work until beginning a role for Tultex Textiles company. Here, he helped invent and develop the $7B robotic system that is still used for shipping and receiving goods today. The machine would also take inventory of individual items before repackaging them for further shipping without the use of employees. Later, he worked at Trex Composite Decking as its vice president of technology. He also opened the Whistling Hill Aviary in Callaway VA, caring for pet birds and making them available for adoption. Along with this, he opened “The Pet Stop” in Rocky Mount, VA, finally settling for over 20 years in Virginia Beach.

Marx had two children, Raymond and David; two grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He was an avid bike racer and loved to ride motorcycles. Other interests included model trains star gazing.

Marx died in May 2016 from lung cancer.

We honor his service.


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Writer: Sarah McDonald

Editors: Marisa Bunton, Ashley Shaut

Researcher: Loretta Knieff

Graphic Designer: Jaylon Buckles

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One Comment

  1. Janice lewis May 28, 2023 at 08:00

    So sorry to hear , my husband, Ronald Lewis was diagnosed Agent Orange three years ago but everything can recur back. I hope not now they trying to take his hundred percent back because he doing better but he still have the same problem with tingling in the feet has surgery several months ago trying to get better but they still want to take his hundred percent away and I don’t think that’s fair to any military guy for what reason I don’t know but you have other military man that stays on it for life I don’t know if it’s the color of the skin or what but they need to put a stop to this nonsense. I’ll take 100% away. This is my husband and they should be doing that at all. Once they give it they shouldn’t take it away , I have information here concerning his health on paper. I would like to send it to you. Well I’ve been helping him and caregiver to my husband trying to get him better. I have dementia at amount they want to take all this away from him and I don’t think it’s fair.

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